ABSTRACT
This chapter explains what sustainable development is and the consequences of unsustainable practices. It describes briefly some of the history of the concept of sustainable development and offers a framework for setting targets for future improvements. Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean is one of the most remote inhabited places in the world. The Netherlands admiral Jacob Roggeveen landed on the Easter Island in 1722. The growing population and the enormous activity deployed in creating Moai took their toll. The fertile soil eroded and more land was needed for agriculture, Large numbers of trees were cut for building Moai, boats and houses. The civilisation of Easter Island collapsed because of its unsustainable nature. Sustainable development is a direction in which to proceed; nobody can claim the wisdom of defining an ultimate solution for the world.
